This invention relates to a method for temporarily storing a plurality of endless, intermediate articles of manufacture and, more particularly, to temporarily storing a plurality of pneumatic tire beads.
A pneumatic tire generally contains at least two beads. A bead is an annular tensile member associated with holding the tire to the wheel rim. After a bead is formed on a bead former, the bead is removed from the former and must be stored until it is built into a tire. Ideally, the device that stores the bead can store a plurality of beads and can be used for transporting the beads to the location in the plant where the beads are to be built into a tire.
Currently, several devices are available for storing and transporting tire beads. The first device has horizontally extending pins for supporting a plurality of beads. The beads hang vertically from the pins. Although this device can store and transport a large number of beads, the use of this device may cause deformation to the beads being stored on it. First, since the beads are hung vertically with support only at the location of the pin, the beads tend to elongate and warp as they hang on the pin. These deformations of the beads cause non-uniformity of the tires built with these elongated and/or warped beads. Another problem caused by the use of this device is that automated removal of the beads from the device is difficult. Since the beads are free hanging, automatic removal of the beads requires complex and expensive sensors to detect the exact location of the bead on the pin. Additionally, since some of the beads may stick together on the same pin, separating the beads may cause additional deformities.
A second device used in the storage and transport of beads is the molded, reusable separator, sometimes referred to as a xe2x80x9ctophatxe2x80x9d due to its shape. To move a plurality of beads, a plurality of molded, reusable separators must be used. Each separator has a horizontal lip area that extends radially outwardly from the base of a taller crown area. Each bead is placed on the separator so that the crown area of the separator is in the center of the bead and the bead rests on the horizontal lip area. After a bead is placed on a separator, a second separator is placed on top of the first separator. The separators become connected in the crown area such that the lip areas of the separators are vertically separated from each other. A second bead is placed on the second separator and the process is continued. Since each separator is sized specifically for a particular bead size, a large inventory of separators is necessary for each different bead size. Since the separators are relatively large, storing the necessary number of separators takes a lot of storage space. Additionally, handling of the separators is difficult due to their bulkiness.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,614,268 entitled xe2x80x9cBEAD TRANSPORTING CONTAINERxe2x80x9d discloses another device for storing and transporting beads. This container stores the beads in a vertical position and spaces the beads with separating ribs. The beads are supported by the sidewalls of the container. Each sidewall has a radius of curvature similar to that of the beads.
This invention provides a method for temporarily storing a plurality of endless, intermediate articles of manufacture. The method is characterized by: (i) placing an endless, intermediate article of manufacture into a load/unload position on a storage device having a plurality of index mechanisms, each index mechanism having a plurality of positions for storage of the articles, the positions being serially movable into or out of the load/unload position; (ii) indexing the article out of the load/unload position and into a storage position; and (iii) repeating these steps with additional articles until a desired number of articles are placed on the storage device.
In the preferred method, the step of indexing the article into a storage position is further characterized by the steps of: (i) detecting the presence of the article in the load/unload position; (ii) moving the article away from the load/unload position; and (iii) stopping the article when the presence of the article in the load/unload position is no longer detected.
The method may further include the steps of: (i) indexing an article out of a storage position and into the load/unload position; and (ii) removing the article from the load/unload position.